A Change of Heart
by Grey-eyed-semicolon
Summary: Tom Marvolo Riddle knows what love is... and this is why. Threeshot. Third person.
1. Chapter 1: A Heart of Gold

**A Change of Heart  
**1 A Heart of Gold 

**Disclaimer: These things get boring after a while. It's not mine, never was, but Niobe is. **

**AN: Yeah, it's slightly AU. But you do have to wonder why Tom hated muggles _so much_ at Hogwarts if he was brought up in a muggle orphanage. I mean, Harry didn't hate them in general, did he? Just the Dursleys… And Tom must have been to school, surely.

* * *

**Tom Marvolo Riddle glanced nervously around the playground. At five years old, his self-confidence wasn't exactly honed to perfection.

"Hello," a quiet voice murmured near his ear. "What's your name?"

Tom turned shyly to face a girl even smaller than him. Her hair was as glossy black as his own, but she lowered her silver-grey eyes when he tried to make eye-contact. "I'm Tom. Who're you?"

"Niobe."

* * *

When Tom returned to school the next day he understood perfectly why he was not to speak to 'those filthy muggles'. He knew perfectly well that if he spoke to them again he would be breaking a taboo deeper than the blood running through his body. It didn't matter that he wasn't sure what a taboo was; _he must never speak to any muggles_.

"Niobe!" yelled Tom. "Want to play tag?"

* * *

The friendship between Tom and Niobe flourished for six years. They competed for top of the class. Niobe lent Tom muggle books. They chatted in the playground. Tom told Niobe jokes. They visited the local library together. Niobe introduced Tom to her parents. They played chess. Tom took Niobe shopping, but he never told his mother about her.

Niobe's birthday was in mid-July and Tom was sure that he should buy her something special. He hadn't the slightest idea of what to get an eleven-year-old girl, but he decided to visit Diagon Alley and browse the shops while buying supplies for his first year at Hogwarts.

His mother wasn't going with him, thank goodness. She would have thrown a double fit if she had found out that Tom was _buying_ a _present_ for a _muggle!_

Tom used the dreaded Floo Powder to get to Diagon Alley. He stepped out of the fireplace…

… and almost walked into Niobe.

"Niobe!"

She whipped round. "Tom!"

They stared at each other for a moment, then both spoke at once. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm a wizard-" began Tom, and stopped.

"-a witch! Isn't it wonderful?" smiled Niobe excitedly. "And I'm going to Hogwarts, and I can't wait!"

"So am I," grinned Tom. Niobe always cheered him up. "Come with me, and we can get our stuff."

Several shops later, Tom left Niobe to choose an animal for Hogwarts. His hurried description of the wizarding world had satisfied her perfectly, and he was certain she would fit in easily, even if she was muggle-born.

A little later, Tom rejoined Niobe and her new owl and they ate ice cream together at Florian Fortescue's.

Tom fumbled for words. "Er… Happy Birthday…" he mumbled, pushing a small box across the table.

Niobe's eyes lit up when she opened it. "Oh, Tom! Thankyou! They're beautiful!"

The earrings were indeed beautiful and Niobe had yet to discover that they changed colour when she wanted them to. Tom had almost emptied his Gringotts vault for her, and she was glad that she was happy. However, there was one thing left to say.

"Niobe, I think I love you."


	2. Chapter 2: A Heart of Stone

**A Change of Heart**  
2 A Heart of Stone

Tom Marvolo Riddle had risen through positions of power in Slytherin society like a bubble. He frowned. Well, perhaps not _exactly _like a bubble, but the metaphor was close enough.

And now he was a prefect, respected by every single Slytherin and trusted by Headmaster Dippet. He was definitely destined to be Head Boy, if only the problem with the Heir of Slytherin could be solved.

Tonight would be the night. Tonight, the basilisk would kill a mudblood, and tomorrow Tom could 'catch' Hagrid as the Heir of Slytherin. Hah. Who would believe that a _Hufflepuff_ could be the Heir of Slytherin? And a half-giant at that? Only Armando Dippet.

The black-haired boy prowled through the corridors, well aware that being caught out of bed would be dangerous – even for a prefect or future Head Boy. Tonight, after all, was not his night for prefect duty.

Tom crept up to the girls' bathroom that led to the Chamber of Secrets and called up the basilisk. It followed him through the pipes as he wandered through Hogwarts. He was searching for the mudblood Hufflepuff who was on perfect patrol.

And then, at the end of the corridor, he saw Niobe.

The basilisk smelt her, and he could _feel _it speeding up as it approached her, moving in for the kill, and Tom was paralysed with terror, unable to speak, and it was going to kill Niobe.

"_**NO!"**_

Whether the shout was in English or Parseltongue, Tom didn't know. He'd been too terrified to notice. Or care, as long as it stopped the basilisk.

Tom was relieved to find that it had, and, as he approached Niobe to check that she was okay, he told the basilisk to return to the Chamber of Secrets _and stay there._

Niobe was fine, completely unaware of what had been happening in the pipes. A smile lit up her face at the sight of Tom.

"Hello Tom! Are you on prefect duty tonight too?"

Tom frowned. "Why are you on prefect duty? Shouldn't it be the Jones girl?"

"Marissa wasn't feeling well," Niobe explained, "so she asked if I could do it instead. She offered to take one of my shifts later on. Isn't she a dear?"

Tom smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"I should go and check…" His voice faded, as he prowled back in the direction of the girls' bathroom.

Niobe called after him in what was almost a whisper, as though she wasn't sure whether she wanted Tom to hear what she had to say or not.

"I love you, Tom."

If Tom heard her, he didn't look round.


	3. Chapter 3: Heartless

**A Change of Heart  
**3 Heartless 

Lord Voldemort was, it was sometimes claimed, heartless. This was not true. Lord Voldemort had, after all, been mortal, once. And all mortals have a heart. Lord Voldemort was perfectly aware of his heart. Unfortunately, there was one other person who also knew of his heart's existence. And soon, people would find out about this person. She was in great danger…

Lord Voldemort no longer loved Niobe. He was sure he didn't. But she might still love him. She might try to – perish the thought – contact him. Her! A mudblood!

She would have to be dealt with.

* * *

Niobe was still as beautiful as ever. For a moment, Tom was back, wishing Niobe would notice him, and then Niobe turned round, and Tom was just staring at her, mouth open like a goldfish, and then-

Lord Voldemort took over, pulling out his wand and pointing it between her eyes.

Niobe stared at him, shocked. "Tom!"

Lord Voldemort's face turned the colour of rice pudding. "Drop your wand!"

The bewilderment on Niobe's face looked _so sweet_ as she put down her rowan wand. "Tom, what are you doing?"

Tom started lowering the wand, started to step forward to hug Niobe- and then Lord Voldemort caught himself, realised what he was doing, and raised the wand again.

"Are you going to kill me?" Niobe asked quietly, but not fearfully.

Tom wanted to shake his head; wanted to hug Niobe, to have that first kiss with her that she had denied him, and then he denied her; wanted to drop his wand and forget about Lord Voldemort forever- but Lord Voldemort was disgusted by that look of _understanding_ on the mudblood's face. Understanding! How dare she! _No one_ could understand. It was Tom's destiny to take on Salazar Slytherin's mantle. Lord Voldemort would finish the job that had been begun all those years ago. He would kill all mudbloods, starting with this one.

"Tom." Niobe was shaking her head. "Tom, you can't kill me. You wouldn't."

And, totally disregarding the wand Lord Voldemort held, she kissed him.

Tom stood stock-still. _She had kissed him! Niobe had KISSED him!_ "Oh, Niobe," he gasped. "Niobe, I-"

But Lord Voldemort had regained control over himself. He raised his wand and killed the girl in front of him. Then he cast the Dark Mark over her house and Apparated away.

Lord Voldemort didn't need mudbloods.

But Tom was at the funeral, and Tom made sure her grave was kept tidy, and Tom left flowers there for years afterwards.

Lord Voldemort didn't need mudbloods. But Tom did.


End file.
